31 is Sheila O'Flanagan's Three weddings and a proposal.
The short Wexford stories were good and easy to fit in a whole one with a cup of coffee.
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2023 - 50 BOOK CHALLENGE
(1001 Posts)Happy New Year GN readers, here it is the all new 50 Books for 2023.
Once again that 50 figure is a mere benchmark to aspire to, if you would like to join in and don't think you will reach 50, please don't let that deter you from partaking in the challenge. I imagine some of you will know that I got the idea for 50 Books from MN they also have one on their site for 25 Books a Year, but their reading community is considerable, ours of course is much smaller so I think starting up two different threads is unnecessary here on GN, I guess anyone who thinks 50 is a daunting number could maybe state they'll aim for 25, but I'll leave that up to the individual.
Primarily this thread will hopefully be ongoing throughout the year for book lovers who enjoy discussing what they've read. Do come here with your recommendations, similarly if you haven't enjoyed a book feel free to say so. Either way it's good to have a range of opinions, or just merely state your reads in a list form if you don't much care for waffling on.
For any newcomers, the choice of book is entirely up to you and can include fiction, non fiction, biographies memoirs, audio/Audible, even a favourite childhood book should you fancy a trip down memory lane.
So that's it! let's commence and happy 2023 reading.
I haven't got book number 1 yet, still reading The Ink Black Heart, 900 pages in with only a 100 to go now, but I included it in last year's total, so I'll start my number 1 in a day or so.
The Girl Who Left was OK, but I`ve read better.
Have just finished book 43, The Forgotten Life of Arthur Pettinger, by Suzanne Fortin, a wonderfully sad, happy, poignant book about a 96 year old man with Alzheimers, having flashbacks to his youth, serving undercover in France in WW2, and the girl he fell in love with there. Recommended.
Just starting book 44, The Couple at No.9, by Claire Douglas.
Book 17. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margaretta Magnuson and read beautifully by Juliette Stevenson. A practical, gentle and unsentimental approach to clearing all that ‘stuff’.
Book 18. Knife Edge by Simon Mayo. I’m not usually a fan of thrillers but this was really good and had me hooked from the first page. A warning though, you may need tissues to hand especially for the funerals.
We love libraries here and I see I’ve had a bit of a library theme. To my #3 ‘The ReadingList’ I can now add my #15 ‘’The Library Book’ by Ann Cleves, a collection of heartfelt short pieces about the huge value of libraries. I followed up Cleves’ praise of Public Lending Right, and discovered authors can gain a maximum of some £6,000 pa from it. Also my #16 Ali Smith ‘Public Library’, not a conventional novel and I’ve not finished it yet but some gorgeous writing about and playing with words.
For more down to earth reading, I’ve also gone back to nonfiction with #17 Bee Wilson ‘The Way We Eat Now’ pub 2019. The globalised food industry provides a kind of food security undreamt of by our ancestors but it’s not right yet - we know that millions still go hungry, while millions more eat health-damaging diets. Yet food regulation apparently punitive. Bee argues for switching focus now from food plenty to food quality. I wish I thought her gran-like good sense - growing for taste, small plates, minimising sugary drinks, focusing on meals not snacks, etc - would be heeded.
The Couple at No.9 is quite good so far.
Book 19 Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch. I read the first one in the series and said I wasn’t sure. I think it was Sparklefizz who suggested listening to the audio version - I am now well and truly hooked!
Great twist near the end of The Couple at No.9.
Book 45 now, The House of a Hundred Whispers, the usual creepiness from Graham Masterton.
teabagwoman
Book 19 Moon Over Soho by Ben Aaronovitch. I read the first one in the series and said I wasn’t sure. I think it was Sparklefizz who suggested listening to the audio version - I am now well and truly hooked!
I think it may have been me. Isn't Kobna (the narrator) wonderful? I'm so glad you are enjoying the series 😃.
3 weddings and a proposal was Sheila O'Flanagan's story about a 39 year old career driven single woman. It gave me a view of a life so different to mine, and was a bit of an eye opener. Made me realise how times have changed from my young marriage and babies lifestyle.
no.32 Anne Baker - Wartime Girls- as I need something completely different.
Loved The House of a Hundred Whispers, but love Graham Masterton anyway.
Just about to start book 46, The District Nurses Make a Wish, by Annie Groves, a bit lighter read.
#15 The Vinyl Detective - Victory Disc Andrew Cartmel.
Number 3 in a very enjoyable series about a record enthusiast who takes commissions to hunt down rare discs. In the course of which he encounters danger, intrigue and murder.
Loved District Nurses, made a nice change. Have just finished book 47, City of the Dead, by Ed James, book 1 in the Cullen and Bain series. Just starting book 2 in the series, World`s End, book 48 for me.
#15. The Torment Of Others by Val McDermid.
Sorry Juno it was you indeed. I’m only partially hearing so am very fussy about the voices of narrators and Kobna has become one of my favourites. Another one I like a lot is Alex Haskell. Book 20 was Vanished by Lynda La Plante and narrated by him.
I like Ed James` books, but these Cullen and Bain books don`t really do it for me. Now reading book 49, another lighter read, Hope for the Railway Girls, by Maisie Thomas.
Book 11 The Locked Room by Ellie Griffiths.
No 11 The Peacock Spring by Rumer Godden.
It’s an old book, first published in 1975. It concerns a romantic relationship between a young girl, the daughter of a British diplomat, and an Indian boy, set in India. The writing is so beautiful though the style of speech took a bit of getting used to.
I started A Street Cat Named Bob but got distracted. I have just read Forever Home by Graham Norton, the second of his books I have read. What a good writer Graham is.
I have now gone back to A Street Cat Named Bob. What a wonderful book.
I loved A Street Cat Named Bob, Kate1949 and bought the DVD as it was so heartwarming (and I love cats!)
It's a lovely book Sparkle 😻
I originally bought A Streetcat Named Bob because Bob on the cover looked the image of our gorgeous Pepper who hadn`t long died. But it was a lovely story, and so uplifting.
Hope for the Railway Girls was an enjoyable read, have just started book 50, Are You Awake?, by Claire McGowan.
#18 Jane Stubbs ‘Thornfield Hall’ retelling of ‘Jane Eyre’ from the point of view of Mrs Faifax, housekeeper. I really enjoyed it.
No 12. Diddly Squat - a year on the farm by Jeremy Clarkson. I wanted a light read and this was much better than I expected! You get typical Clarkson but also another side to him that’s considerate and thoughtful.
#16 The Pearl Sister Lucinda Riley.
Number 4 in a series about an adopted family of girls named for the Pleiades who discover their history and birth families on the death of their adoptive father. This one is Celaeno's story and takes place mainly in Australia. I enjoyed it.
#19 Gillian Harvey ‘A Year at the French Farmhouse’ a light read with all the cliches you’d expect in this genre but many authentic touches too. Loved the sense of how distant a village can feel, and how reliant on the car - yet Paris can still be reachable in a few hours thanks to the fast rail system.
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